Flow field design and optimization for pem fuel cell bipolar plates

Abstract

In this work a three dimensional comprehensive model for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has been developed. This model is used to study the effects of the bipolar plates flow field channels geometry on the performance of the fuel cell. A commercial computational fluid dynamics code is used to solve the mass, momentum, energy and species conservation equations that describe reactants flow within the cell. Reactants consumption, heat generation and water formation due to the electrochemical reactions are accounted for by integrating a set of user-defined subroutines in the simulation process. It is found that the flow field design and channel geometry have significant effects on the overall efficiency and power density generated by the fuel cell. It should be noted that the optimal values for channel dimensions depend significantly on the value of the contact resistance between the bipolar plate and the gas diffusion layer, in addition to pressure losses through the channel.

title = "Flow field design and optimization for pem fuel cell bipolar plates",

abstract = "In this work a three dimensional comprehensive model for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has been developed. This model is used to study the effects of the bipolar plates flow field channels geometry on the performance of the fuel cell. A commercial computational fluid dynamics code is used to solve the mass, momentum, energy and species conservation equations that describe reactants flow within the cell. Reactants consumption, heat generation and water formation due to the electrochemical reactions are accounted for by integrating a set of user-defined subroutines in the simulation process. It is found that the flow field design and channel geometry have significant effects on the overall efficiency and power density generated by the fuel cell. It should be noted that the optimal values for channel dimensions depend significantly on the value of the contact resistance between the bipolar plate and the gas diffusion layer, in addition to pressure losses through the channel.",

N2 - In this work a three dimensional comprehensive model for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has been developed. This model is used to study the effects of the bipolar plates flow field channels geometry on the performance of the fuel cell. A commercial computational fluid dynamics code is used to solve the mass, momentum, energy and species conservation equations that describe reactants flow within the cell. Reactants consumption, heat generation and water formation due to the electrochemical reactions are accounted for by integrating a set of user-defined subroutines in the simulation process. It is found that the flow field design and channel geometry have significant effects on the overall efficiency and power density generated by the fuel cell. It should be noted that the optimal values for channel dimensions depend significantly on the value of the contact resistance between the bipolar plate and the gas diffusion layer, in addition to pressure losses through the channel.

AB - In this work a three dimensional comprehensive model for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has been developed. This model is used to study the effects of the bipolar plates flow field channels geometry on the performance of the fuel cell. A commercial computational fluid dynamics code is used to solve the mass, momentum, energy and species conservation equations that describe reactants flow within the cell. Reactants consumption, heat generation and water formation due to the electrochemical reactions are accounted for by integrating a set of user-defined subroutines in the simulation process. It is found that the flow field design and channel geometry have significant effects on the overall efficiency and power density generated by the fuel cell. It should be noted that the optimal values for channel dimensions depend significantly on the value of the contact resistance between the bipolar plate and the gas diffusion layer, in addition to pressure losses through the channel.